Posted on 06/23/2007 7:00:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., told farm workers yesterday that the immigration reform bill will be brought back to the Senate floor for deliberation within days, and that the Senate is determined to vote on it, even if it means working weekends and during the July 4th weekend.
Once the energy bill clears the Senate floor, the bipartisan but controversial immigration bill, written by Kennedy and Sen. Arlen J. Specter, R-Pa., will be back before the Senate, he said.
"Dealing with immigration is central to the challenge of civil rights," Kennedy said. "We have come a long way."
Kennedy, the second longest-serving member of the Senate, said that America was a segregated nation until only 40 years ago when Congress began passing civil rights laws and much progress has been made since that time. For Kennedy, immigration is a civil rights issue as well.
Finding middle ground between citizens who want to deport the 12 million immigrants living here illegally and the majority of the population, which supports keeping families together through earned citizenship, is not going to happen by "bumper sticker solutions," Kennedy said.
"I think we should work over the weekend and through the Fourth of July recess," Kennedy said.
The Massachusetts Democrat met with farm workers and labor leaders in the wake of a new poll conducted by pollster Sergio Bendixen for New America Media. The poll found that 83 percent of illegal immigrants from Latin American are willing to comply with new provisions in the comprehensive immigration bill.
To reach legal status, the pending legislation would require illegal immigrants to pay their back taxes, pay fines for each individual within a household, keep a clean criminal record and learn English.
The poll found that by a large margin illegal immigrants are willing to undergo criminal background checks, pay fines and fees and return to their countries of origin - if they are guaranteed re-entry - to put themselves on the track for legalization, Bendixen said.
"This poll today demonstrates that this bipartisan reform bill would work," Kennedy said. "It would work because the 12 million undocumented immigrants who are here today will pay the high price to become an American citizen."
Yes. I thought there was special relativity involved,
but you’ve made it clear that WHO has the shuttle who has the power.
I’m sick of this “keeping families together” crap. They can ALL be together in Mexico....we’re not stopping them from leaving. They just can’t stop insulting our intelligence.
Yes, according to Fat Ted, illegal immigrants in this country have civil rights. We are racist xenophobes.
This bill won't make it across the Potomac.
I sent your suggested letter to my Senators (Mikulski and Cardin), for what it’s worthless.
If the amnesty bill gets passed, and the ensuing Civil War occurs, I want to be part of the band of patriots that attacks the Kennedy compound.
Careful now,you know we’re being watched;)
Ted. Shut up.
If the amnesty bill gets passed, and the ensuing Civil War occurs, I want to be part of the band of patriots that attacks the Kennedy compound.
take a number, they are going fast for Bush, Kennedy, Feinstein Reid, Graham, Martinez, Lott etc
Its really beyond me how Kennedy has any credibility with anyone whatsoever.
Yet for all his vitriol and treason since 9/11, Teddy still can count on his Republican comrades like Bush, Lott etc. to do his bidding. Pathetic...
Now lets run with it and let our voices be heard by our leaders in the House & Senate!!
Mind you, not that you really need the force to get Bush to be kissing Kennedy's a$$ but you get the general drift.....
Well Praise the Lord and pass the Ammo :-) :-)
Knowing the liberal scum that they are, they'd probably be the first ones out to be sunbathing on the French Riveria until things cool off.
"The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society, it will not relax the standards of admission, it will not cause American workers to lose their jobs."
--Senator Ted Kennedy, 1965, during the immigration debate.
"This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens, will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."-- Senator Ted Kennedy, 1986, during the immigration debate on the Simpson-Mazzoli bill.
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